Three vs Three
by Spirit Sorceror
Summary: Chapter three is now (finally) up! The underworld is in chaos, but a powerful demon plans to resurrect a force that even the power of three can't destroy...
1. Resurrection

Three vs. Three by Spirit Sorceror  
  
Rating - PG (mild violence later on)  
  
Notes - This is my first fanfic and I'm quite nervous, so please be gentle and take the time to fill in a review. I need motivation - and please no flames!  
  
This story is set just after the end of Season four. It helps to know the show's background before reading. I've tried to stay as true to the characters as I can and all the info is accurate up to the end of Season four. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
I would also like to thank my good friend Borath for Beta-testing this for me. You go girl! Take the time to read her stuff. It's very good (I am really sucking up now).  
  
Disclaimer - I don't not own and am in no way associated with Charmed or the company that makes it (but I can dream). I'm just a slightly obsessed fan with some (hopefully good) story ideas. So don't sue me. Please.  
  
Three vs. Three  
  
1. Resurrection  
  
Tepaleth knocked thoughtfully on the door to the Halliwell Manor and waited patiently for a reply. The front of the house looked so attractive and peaceful that he had to remind himself of the power that lived inside. Power that would soon be his. He silently scolded himself for neglecting all that they had achieved over the past four years. It would be far from easy, but no evil had ever tried this before and he could see its potential to succeed.  
  
He saw a figure approaching through the glass and then the door swung open to reveal the oldest sister. He subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Had Phoebe answered, then she may have detected what he was about to do, and with all three sisters home, he knew he would not survive a confrontation at this stage.  
  
"Can you help me? I'm trying to get to Sycamore Street," he asked as politely as he could.  
  
"Of course," she replied, promptly reeling off a string of directions ending at Sycamore. He thanked her, then watched her close the door before turning on his heels and descending the porch steps.  
  
He, of course, hadn't been listening to a word she had said, being too busy delving through her mind. It had been relatively easy. He knew what he was looking for and the information was still recent and easy to retrieve. All he had to do was rescue it from its prison.  
  
Then the fun would begin.  
  
* * *  
  
As soon as Piper closed the door she heard what sounded like a mini earthquake in the basement. She hurried down the stairs and saw Phoebe bending over a Paige-shaped lump lying under some broken shelves.  
  
"What the hell happened? Was it a demon, a warlock."  
  
"Try my sister," muttered Paige as Phoebe helped her struggle to her feet.  
  
"Oh no. Phoebe, your not possessed by an evil baby again, are you?"  
  
"No, don't be silly. We were practicing and I got a little carried away, that's all."  
  
"Practicing what?"  
  
Paige hobbled over to an old wooden chair by the stairs and sat down. "You know. That kick-ass thing Phoebe does. I thought it was about time I learned how to protect myself, just in case some demon attacks while you guys aren't there to help." She started rubbing her ankle. "But so far I'm not having much luck."  
  
"Oh, don't worry, honey." Phoebe said. "You'll get there."  
  
Piper walked over to get a closer look at Paige's ankle. "Do you want me to get Leo to heal that for you?"  
  
"No, it's OK. I don't think it's sprained or anything."  
  
"OK, just be careful." Piper turned and headed back up the stairs. "And try not to destroy anything else."  
  
Paige smiled as Piper disappeared around the corner. "We weren't exactly trying before," she called after her. Phoebe giggled. "I know," Paige moaned, "I'm a terrible student."  
  
"No, it's not that. It's just nice to have something to take my mind off everything that's been going on recently."  
  
"You mean Cole?"  
  
"Mainly."  
  
"Has he tried to make contact since the whole FBI, witch hunter thing?"  
  
"No, and to be honest I'm glad." She rested her hand against the wall. "I'm finally turning my life around and I really don't want Cole to come back, just so I can be miserable when things don't work out."  
  
"It might work this time."  
  
"How? We've tried it every way we could. I just don't know what I'm gonna do when he comes back." She sighed, then pushed away from the wall. "Right. Back to work." Paige groaned. "Come on. Practice makes perfect! You never know when you'll need this stuff."  
  
* * *  
  
The Crypt of Gul'dan is a place that most demons don't even know exists, and those who do rarely venture near it. The powerful magic that resides in its very walls is unpredictable and dangerous. For those few who know how to control it, however, anything can be achieved. Lennox couldn't understand why he had requested to meet him here.  
  
Tepaleth was standing over a dark wooden coffin when he arrived. The coffin was resting on a large stone slab, covered in ancient runes. Six tall pillars, three on either side, led up to it. Shadows flickered and shifted across the walls, but nothing else disturbed the atmosphere. No cobwebs adorned the walls. Even spiders stayed away from the crypt. The thing that really attracted his attention, however, was the book.  
  
Leather-bound and opened to a black page covered in white ink, it sat on a pedestal a few feet away from him. He knew very well what it was, but he didn't think he'd ever see it again.  
  
"Is that." he began.  
  
"You know very well that it is," Tepaleth answered without turning round.  
  
"But how did you get it back? I thought that the witches."  
  
"I paid them a visit earlier today. It wasn't too hard to extract the books location."  
  
"So what are you up to? I take it you didn't steal the book for fun."  
  
Tepaleth didn't answer. He simply moved to the head of the slab and stared down into the coffin. Intrigued, Lennox stepped slowly forward peering to see what lay inside. When he was close enough, he looked down to see.  
  
He couldn't disguise the gasp that escaped from his mouth. The figure had still decayed greatly, but it was easy to see who it was.  
  
"I.don't believe it! How is it possible!"  
  
"It was easy enough to recover the remains. I had a Dark Priest who owed me a favour. I used a restoration spell from the Grimoire. It should take a few hours to complete. That's when I'll need your help. I know I can trust you, and only alchemists have the power to bring the dead back to life."  
  
"Well, of course, but." He shook his head and glanced around the crypt. "I can only resurrect what's been dead for a short time."  
  
"You're forgetting that we have the Grimoire. It wont be easy, but I know that with some help we will succeed."  
  
"What do you hope to achieve?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Tepaleth laughed softly and Lennox watched as he slowly walked across the crypt to stand in front of the pedestal. He started turning the pages of the Grimoire.  
  
"I want to destroy the charmed ones."  
  
* * *  
  
It was getting late when Leo finally arrived back at the manor. Things had been a lot busier lately, and he missed spending time with Piper. They hadn't spent real quality time together since Piper found out she was pregnant. That had been a wonderful night. They had gone out for a meal at an expensive restaurant and then come home and cuddled up in each others arms, blissfully happy that things were finally going well.  
  
He was brought back down to earth by a hand gently resting on his shoulder. He turned back to see Piper grinning at him. Seeing her smile melted his heart every time. He leant in brushing his lips against hers and they kissed gently.  
  
"Honey" she said, pulling away and suddenly turning serious. "You're late - again."  
  
"Sorry. Urgent white-lighter business." Piper looked at him sternly. "I know, I know, we haven't spent much time together recently, but things have been really busy. Hopefully things will get better when the baby's born."  
  
"Yeah, I hope so to, because I want this baby to grow up knowing both parents and they are working you to death."  
  
"Piper, I'm already dead."  
  
"You know what I mean. I may need you around if my sisters continue to destroy our basement. Plus, there's so much to organise." They sat down on the sofa with Leo's arm around Piper. "Oh, I had a great idea on where to put the nursery. It has to be close to us and safe from any demon ."  
  
Piper was interrupted by a ringing from the kitchen. "Oh, saved by the oven timer. I'll be back in a minute." She kissed Leo again before rushing out into the kitchen.  
  
Leo sat alone for a moment before hearing footsteps on the stairs. He spun around as Paige skipped into the living room. "Hey Paige."  
  
"Hey Leo. Long time no see." She ran over to the table and picked up a green folder.  
  
"Yeah. Apparently I've missed a lot. Tell me, how exactly have you been destroying the basement?"  
  
Paige grinned sheepishly. "You heard about that, huh? Phoebe was just teaching me some moves. Had a little accident."  
  
"I see. So why exactly are you learning how to beat up demons?"  
  
"So I can protect myself"  
  
"Is that the real reason?"  
  
Paige paused. "Kind of." She looked at Leo and saw that she wasn't convincing him. "OK, I that's not really why I'm doing it."  
  
"So why are you?"  
  
Paige sighed. "I really want to try and prove myself to them. I know that they've been doing this a lot longer than me and that I've probably got nothing on Prue, but I don't want them to see me as the new girl. I want to prove that they don't have to worry about me." She clutched the folder tightly to her chest. "But so far I'm only proving how clumsy I am."  
  
"Paige, it's not like that. They already respect you. You've achieved a lot since you became a witch. A year ago you were a normal girl and since then you've vanquished the source of all evil - three times!"  
  
"I know, and I love them so much, but I still get the feeling that they care more about Prue than they do about me. Especially Piper."  
  
"Paige, you've got to understand that they went through a lot with Prue. It'll take them a while to fully move on." Leo stood up and walked over to her. "But I know that they care for you and love you very much."  
  
Yeah, I know." She walked to the foot of the stairs. "I wish they would say it occasionally. Thanks, Leo."  
  
"Any time." He watched as she jogged back up the stairs. He'd been through so much with the sisters that loved them more than anyone and he would do anything for them. He wanted to help now, but didn't know what to do, other than talk to Piper about it. All he could was hope that everything would be all right.  
  
* * *  
  
Earlier the crypt had been empty. Now, a dozen demons, warlocks and dark- lighters stood in a large semicircle, eyeing the coffin suspiciously. Lennox had worried that it might not be enough for the spell to succeed, but Tepaleth would not risk bringing in others that he didn't trust. He was adamant that their combined powers, plus the Grimoire and the magic locked in the Crypt would be what was needed to make the spell work.  
  
"If this does work," Lennox whispered to his companion, "it will be one of the greatest acts of magic ever performed."  
  
"Let's not start celebrating just yet. Even if it works, which if we call upon the ancient power buried in this crypt, it will, then we still have a rather large hurdle to overcome."  
  
Lennox nodded. "How will you do it?"  
  
"Simple. I have seen their insecurities over the attack. I merely have to push the right buttons."  
  
Tepaleth took in a long, deep breath, scanning the row of faces as he did so. Then he turned to look at the coffin. Lennox knew what he had to do.  
  
"It is time."  
  
Keeping the coffin in sight, Tepaleth slowly walked from the pillar to the book, laid on an alter in the centre of the crypt. Lennox paused, then moved to take his place at the head of the coffin. The demons switched their attention alternately from Tepaleth to Lennox behind him. He waited until they were all concentrating fully.  
  
Flames licked from the torches placed at intervals around the walls, making the shadows dance even more than usual. Everyone could feel the magic in the air. It had to be done while the crypts power was at it's strongest. It was now or never.  
  
Tepaleth placed his finger gently on the page and began to chant. It was a dead language, one of magic and impossible to translate. He started low, slowly getting louder, never stopping or slowing but keeping a steady rhythm. The others started just listening, but began chanting as time went on, until the whole crypt was filled with loud voices in unison.  
  
It wasn't long before the power began to build. Everyone could feel it as a strong magical presence, but Lennox felt it the most. The chant channelled the force through his body, and he felt it surging, increasing his strength, enhancing his powers.He reached out his hands and began chanting, feeling his powers surge into the lifeless body. It built up and up, growing stronger, too strong, the control was.too great.slipping, everyone felt it, but the chant continued, louder, louder as they tried to keep a hold on it, building, until.  
  
The force struck them all at the same moment, throwing them back, scattering them like newspaper in a tornado. Tepaleth grabbed hold of the alter, clenching it tight enough to shatter the stone and growled as the power sent shockwaves through his body. It hit Lennox like an electric shock, sending him screaming into the wall and sliding to the floor.  
  
It was all over in a few seconds, but it seemed like a lot longer. Slowly, the demons rose to their feet, shaking and confused. Tepaleth panted to get his breath back, but stopped when he saw the demons staring wide-eyed behind him. Breathing slowly he turned around. A dazed Lennox was also trying to stand, but slumped back down when he saw the coffin.  
  
The body, which had been so lifeless a few minutes ago, now had one hand on the coffin side and was using it to carefully pull herself up. She reached a sitting position and stared at her surroundings, taking in everything in the crypt. Her eyes had first seemed empty, but now Tepaleth could see life entering them - memories and conflicting thoughts. As Lennox and the other demons could only stare in amazement, Tepaleth broke into a smile.  
  
The plan was working. He could achieve anything now, once he had helped show her which path to follow. She was confused - and he would be the one to guide her. She would be the source of all evil.  
  
"Welcome back, Prue Halliwell."  
  
* * *  
  
TBC 


	2. Dream Sorceress

Hope your enjoying it so far - The next chapter will be up soon. Take the time to stick up a review. Go on, you know you want to.  
  
Everything is the same as in chapter one. Once again, I do not own Charmed in any way. Tepaleth and Lennox, however, are my own creations, and I'm darn proud of 'em. Enjoy!  
  
2. Dream Sorceress  
  
Most people suffer some confusion in the first few moments after they wake up, when they try to determine who they are, where they are and what day of the week it is. Prue was rapidly discovering that waking from death was far worse.  
  
She struggled to figure out what was going on, but a million thoughts were smashing against the side of her head at once. She was pretty sure she had been dead.hadn't she been dead? And now she was sitting in a weird chamber with a load of people staring at her.  
  
Tepaleth, on the other hand, was thinking very clearly. He was amazed as all of his plans suddenly seemed so much closer to success, but he had to remember to remain calm. It wasn't over yet. He had to win her over first, and he had to do it now, whilst she was still confused. Discarding his feeling of nausea from the incantation, he took a few steps towards the slab.  
  
Prue saw him approaching and instantly panicked. She couldn't remember much, but she still had her instincts and she could sense something not right about the man in front of her. Something dark.evil. A similar feeling was brewing inside of her, and it scared her. She felt a strong urge to protect herself from him, and something answered within her, familiar and powerful. That was one thing, at least, that she remembered. She focused on him, allowing her magic to release itself.  
  
A second later, Tepaleth was flying through the air. He slammed into one of the pillars, sliding to the ground in pain. Prue, still trying to sort through the haze in her brain, did the only logical thing that she could do. She ran.  
  
She was almost at the doorway when Tepaleth hollered at the other demons to stop her, but they were still reeling from the impact. She skidded into the hallway and pounded down a corridor leading off to the left. She was surprising herself with how fast she was running. She thought she could remember being fairly fit, but this was something else.  
  
She was halfway along the passage when Tepaleth shimmered in front of her. Trying to stop at the speed she was running was practically impossible, and she slipped on the smooth floor, crashing into the wall. He moved quickly, grabbing her arms before she could struggle back up again.  
  
"Prue, stop it," he shouted. She kicked out, catching him on the leg, but he didn't let go. "You're confused, I know, but I can help you."  
  
"Get away from me!" she screamed at him. "I don't know who you are, but I'm not supposed to be here!"  
  
"Yes, you are. It is you're destiny to be here, and I can help you follow that destiny." He shook her, bringing her eyes to his. "But first, you need to know the truth. Just relax and."  
  
It was at that moment that the full force of Prue's mind hit him as he tried to enter it. It was a mass of conflicting thoughts and emotions that sped in every direction. Fighting through it would be like swimming through treacle.  
  
He delved into her memories, trying to find what he was looking for before she became too aware of his presence. Old events flew past him like bullets, some going years back, some more recent. He sensed enough to know that they weren't what he was looking for. She's been through a lot, he realised, especially between her and her sisters. For a second, he feared that the bonds would be too strong to break, and that he would fail, but he put it out of his mind. Her confusion was his advantage over her.  
  
Just when he was wondering if he would ever find it, he came upon it suddenly and without warning. It moved rapidly among her mind, indistinguishable from another memory to anyone else. The last thing that she ever remembered. He grabbed on to it before he lost it again, pulled it to the surface, and Prue gasped as the images flooded her mind.  
  
.the doctor thrown out of the car.all captured on film.nightmare, street full of people.BANG.in the way. Couldn't they see she was.hospital.GET OUT OF THE WAY.nothing they could do.too late.we're the demons now.BANG.Phoebe gone.have to save him, he's going to be killed.  
  
Prue leapt up, gasping for air as she tried to shake off the images in her head. She didn't even notice that Tepaleth had transported her back to the Crypt. "Shax was.going to kill him.but I don't understand, we vanquished him, how did he."  
  
"It's alright, that's not important now. What's important is what your sisters did."  
  
"My sisters."  
  
"Yes, Prue. What were they doing while all this was going on? Look at Phoebe, gallivanting of to the underworld trying to save a demon that she foolishly fell in love with. She left you all on your own.she was nowhere to be found when you were exposed, and what about when the demon attacked? She cared more about saving a demon than saving her sisters, her own flesh and blood, after you'd been through so much together."  
  
"It wasn't like that.at least.Piper was there."  
  
"Ah yes, Piper. Although, what help was she? You were the one who risked yourself to save the doctor. She could have used her powers on the demon, but she didn't. She just sat there and watched you get blown through a wall. Why didn't she save you, Prue? She could have.if she'd wanted to."  
  
"It wasn't like that."  
  
"You keep saying that, but who are you trying to convince? Sisterly love obviously isn't all that you thought it was." He put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "And no sooner is the funeral over when they're pushing you out of the picture and getting friendly with a new sister."  
  
Prue's eyes widened as the words registered. "New sister."  
  
"That's right. You have a half-sister, and soon it was goodbye Prue and hello Paige. They didn't care about you. It wouldn't surprise me if part of them wanted you out of the way."  
  
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. No, it couldn't be true. Not after everything.but, as she stood there, another voice came to her. Not a voice in her head or a physical presence, but one that seemed to come from the walls themselves. Questioning, twisting her thoughts until she couldn't think clearly, with one main question repeating over and over.can you really trust your sisters?  
  
Tepaleth watched as Prue came to terms with what he had said. Then, he saw doubt in her mind. Then shock. Then sadness.and when she lifted her head, her eyes blazed with the fire of anger.  
  
"I want to speak to my sisters," she growled.  
  
***  
  
All of the demons and warlocks had dispersed, and now only Tepaleth and Lennox remained, contemplating the last few hours in Tepaleth's chambers. It was several hours since the ceremony had taken place, and they had both almost completely recovered, although Lennox was left with a minor headache.  
  
"Where is she?" Lennox asked after a while, breaking the silence.  
  
"In the crypt. It was the only way to win her over. The ancient evil residing in the walls twist people's minds, influence them to think differently. On my own, I could never have fully turned her against her sisters. The bond is too great." He sat silently for a while "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" he asked.  
  
"You know that this will go down in history, don't you? How long have you been planning this?"  
  
Long enough. You know I've never been one for spur of the moment ideas. Don't start celebrating yet, though. This was just the first stage. We've still got a way to go."  
  
"So what's next? You use Prue to kill the charmed ones and then become the next Source?"  
  
Tepaleth laughed. "Not quite, but I won't make the same mistakes all those demons before us made. They thought that they were stronger than the power of three, and they were all proved spectacularly wrong. I have accepted that the witches could vanquish you and I on the spot. Prue, however, is a different story."  
  
He stood up and started pacing across the floor. "It's true that I believe that she is the key to defeating them - she knows their movements, their strengths and weaknesses, and she has a good knowledge of the Book of Shadows, something which no-one has successfully held on to. As yet, however, she is not ready. She is evenly matched with her sisters, and to win she needs an advantage." He paused, studying Lennox closely. "That is why I intend to make her the Source."  
  
Lennox's face quickly changed from admiration to shock. "What? I don't understand."  
  
"It's quite simple. If I am made the Source then the witches will simply vanquish me, as they have done to those before us. However, the powers of the Source will increase Prue's abilities to incredible levels. She will be more than a match for the others - and trying to vanquish her would prove hopeless, as they cannot vanquish someone with the charmed blood in them, good or evil."  
  
"But Prue isn't a part of the power of three anymore."  
  
"Shhh. All in good time. Things will soon become clear." He made a start for the chambers entrance. "Time to go. We have a lot to arrange, and it won't be long before the elders realise."  
  
He paused a few feet from the entrance. Lennox, following him closely, nearly bumped into him.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
It took Tepaleth a few seconds to answer. "Nothing. That's the problem. There's nothing.follow me" In a second, he had shimmered away. Lennox sensed his path and quickly followed, plunging through the pathways and tunnels littering the astral plane until he arrived at the crypt.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked again, following Tepaleth's gaze to the floor.  
  
Prue was lying several feet from the slab, completely still, hands up close to her face, feet nearly touching one of the pillars. Even from this far away, Lennox could tell that she wasn't breathing.  
  
"I should have seen this coming," Tepaleth muttered. "I knew when I couldn't sense anything."  
  
"What happened? Did we do something wrong with the spell?"  
  
"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have underestimated her independent nature." He looked into Lennox's eyes. "Don't you see? Don't you see what she's gone and done?"  
  
***  
  
Paige hated early starts. She loved to just lie in bed of a morning, analysing her dreams and thinking about what she was going to do that day. Getting up early meant rushing around, but she had to make up for all the time off she'd had recently.  
  
She set the alarm clock and laid her head on the pillow, letting her eyes wander around the room. It had been Prue's before she had moved in. She'd tried to make it as relaxed as possible, making a lot of changes to reflect her personality. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was just an intruder in someone else's space. Would there be a time when this place genuinely felt like home, or would she always feel like this?  
  
Stars glittered brightly in the moonlit sky outside her window. She often imagined soaring among the clouds on a beautiful night like this, just letting her troubles float away and looking down on the world, totally at peace.  
  
A loud crash in the passage outside her room brought her down to earth with a bump. Probably Piper off to the bathroom, she thought. It's gonna get really bad when she starts getting morning sickness.  
  
"Piper, is that you? She asked. No answer. She stumbled over to the door and yanked it open. "Piper, I'm trying to sleep."  
  
Paige never finished, because she was instantly taken aback by what was outside. She was pretty sure that the hallway walls hadn't been covered in candles when she went to bed, and they had been more wooden and a lot less stone. If it weren't for the doorway to her bedroom, she could have sworn she was in the corridor outside the Source's chambers, which was unusual, to say the least. Looking back to check, she was equally surprised to see herself lying asleep on the bed.  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, I'm dreaming." She said aloud, "I was getting worried."  
  
"Me too" said a voice behind her. She spun around to find Phoebe standing there, one hand resting on the rough cave walls.  
  
"Phoebe! You're here too?"  
  
"Uh huh. This is kinda weird - and not my usual dream. Ben Affleck's usually shown up by now. Why I am dreaming about you?"  
  
"Er.Phoebe, I think I'm dreaming about you."  
  
"No you're not." She paused while she tried to figure out what was going on. "Maybe we're not just dreaming about each other. Maybe we're both here."  
  
"How come? Isn't it a bit strange that we're both having exactly the same dream?"  
  
Definitely. We'd better check this out, but be careful." She slowly headed off down the corridor, with Paige close behind.  
  
It seemed a lot more disturbing than Paige remembered. The candle flames flickered eerily, making the shadows dance along the walls. She cursed herself for having such an active imagination.  
  
It wasn't long before the passage opened up, and they found themselves in what were unmistakeably the Source's chambers. At least, it looked like the Source's chambers. They'd vanquished the Seer and a whole bunch of other demons here only a couple of weeks ago. Phoebe still looked back on it with a certain amount of pride, even under the circumstances. It was like the last four years had been building up to that one climactic day. Although.the chamber seemed a lot bigger now.  
  
Paige, however, was too busy staring at the demons lining the walls to pay any attention to the size of the room.  
  
"Should we be worried? I mean, they're just standing there, it's creepy."  
  
"Piper."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's Piper. Look."  
  
There was a figure standing in the centre that she hadn't noticed before. Rushing to her side, she saw that it was Piper, but she looked a wreak. Tears streamed down her face and she stood staring straight ahead, completely motionless.  
  
"Come on honey, it's OK, there's nothing to."  
  
Phoebe never finished. She looked up while speaking and caught sight of the figure sitting on the large seat at the head of the room.  
  
"Hello girls. Long time no see."  
  
***  
  
A wave of emotions rushed through Phoebe as she tried to believe what her eyes were showing her. She was breathing heavily and could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes. The day that everything had changed flashed across her mind - Escaping from the underworld, getting back to find Piper dying.and Prue.so cold.  
  
"Prue," she gasped. "I can't believe you're here."  
  
"We need to talk," she interrupted.  
  
"What? About what."  
  
"About abandoning me and leaving me to do."  
  
Phoebe could hardly believe he ears. "OK, if this is a nightmare now would be a really good time to wake up."  
  
"Oh no, this is very real." She glared angrily at Phoebe. "The truth is that you cared more about saving your boyfriend than your own sister. How do you think that makes me feel?" She stood up and began pacing towards them. "And what about my other sister."  
  
"Prue," Piper choked through her tears, "It wasn't like that, the demon."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Prue shouted, "You didn't do anything to stop him. Don't try and deny it." She stopped, staring at Paige. "And this is the new girl. Hope my replacements been shaping up well. How long did it take you to forget all about me, I wonder?"  
  
"We've never forgotten about you," Piper cried. "But we had to move on to survive. It was really hard for us after you died."  
  
"It was hard for YOU?" She quickly walked back behind the bench. "In a way, dying really did me a favour. It showed me just how little you guys cared about me."  
  
She stopped with her arms at her sides. Then, she slowly brought her right arm up, using her powers to float the bench into the air. It hovered just above her head.  
  
"And now it's time to pay," she growled, before thrusting her arm forward, sending the bench flying across the chamber towards them.  
  
***  
  
TBC 


	3. Sibling Rivalry

Sorry this chapter has taken so long to arrive, but I've been really busy lately. Give me lots of nice reviews and the next (and possibly final) chapter will be put up ASAP.  
  
As before, I do not own Charmed and am in no way associated with it, and so on. You know the drill by now.  
  
3. Sibling Rivalry  
  
As the bench flew across the room, Piper instinctively threw out her hands to freeze it in mid-air, but she wasn't concentrating and accidentally blew it into pieces, spraying fragments of stone in every direction. Some hit the demons who blinked and shuddered, as if suddenly coming to life.  
  
"We have to get out of here," Phoebe shouted, "Run!"  
  
"But.Prue." Piper started.  
  
"I don't think she's in any mood to talk right now. Come on."  
  
Half-pulling Piper behind them, Phoebe and Paige dashed out of the chamber and into the corridor. Prue swung round, taking in the demons around her.  
  
"Well, don't just stand there, get after them," she cried. The demons instantly turned and started running after the sisters, the sound of stomping feet echoing throughout the chamber. Prue started to follow, but stopped at a sudden sensation, as if someone was trying to pull her somewhere. She remembered experiencing something like it before.  
  
"No," she shouted, "I won't let you take me back, I'm not finished yet."  
  
***  
  
Paige pulled Piper around another corner, hearing the demons following closely behind.  
  
"What do we do?" she shouted to Phoebe, who was checking on how far ahead they were.  
  
"Well, we can't fight them, there's too many. Maybe if we could get up to the attic then we could."  
  
"How? We don't even know if were in the house anymore. You try finding the attic stairs. Anyway, shouldn't we just wake up in a minute?"  
  
"I don't know.I'm not sure it's a dream. It all seems pretty real to me."  
  
They spun around a sharp turn left, expecting to see an army of demons charging at them, so it was quite a surprise to be faced with a dead-end. Phoebe tried to spot another way out, but the only possible direction was, judging by the sound of approaching footsteps, not an option.  
  
"OK. I think were done playing here." She turned to Paige, who was still clutching a distraught Piper. "Orb us out of here. Quick."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"What? What do you mean, you can't?  
  
"I can't sense anywhere to orb to. I don't know where we are but it's gotta be pretty far away from home."  
  
Phoebe's answer was lost in the roar behind her. The demons had caught up, their faces remaining expressionless, their intent all too obvious.  
  
They clustered behind the leaders, row on row, silently watching. Silence descended.and then the leader raised his arm, the vivid blue of an energy ball forming in his palm, brought it back slowly, and released it.  
  
***  
  
And then Paige woke up.  
  
She sat up sharply, gasping for air, trying to shake those final images from her mind. Never had she seen so many demons in one place before. Not even when they'd vanquished the Seer. It had seemed so real, and they'd nearly lost.  
  
That's because it was real, she told herself. That was no dream. It was real.  
  
***  
  
It took a few seconds for everything to come back into focus before Prue remembered where she was. The demon she'd seen Tepaleth with was kneeling a few feet away, an almost concerned look crossing his face. She turned her head to see Tepaleth standing at the alter, the black book open in front of him.  
  
She glared angrily at him. "I hate it when people do that."  
  
"What were you trying to achieve?" he asked.  
  
She shrugged as she climbed to her feet. "Revenge was pretty much what I had in mind."  
  
"Well, I hope it was worth it, because now the witches know that you're back they'll be knocking on the door any second to vanquish us all. There's no way we'll be able to."  
  
"Look", she shouted back at him, "I don't know what you're original plan was, but I really couldn't care less. All I'm interested in is seeing my dear sisters again. Oh, and making them pay for what they did, of course."  
  
"My plan was to wait until you were strong enough before attacking them. With them all together, there's no way you'll be able to beat them. It's impossible."  
  
"Not if we can isolate one from the others."  
  
Tepaleth paused, considering what she had just said. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? We separate them. I know just the spell that can do it. Shouldn't be too hard for me then, right?"  
  
"One witch alone would be fair game," Lennox said to Tepaleth. He continued to stare at her, judging up her words in his mind. He was unhappy at abandoning his original plan, but the rules had changed, and this would be so much quicker. If they hurried, then they could pull it off before the sisters worked out a way to get rid of them once and for all.  
  
"Which sister will you isolate?" he asked.  
  
She grinned. "Don't worry. I have one in mind." She walked towards him, glancing over at the alter and the book. "So, why has the Source got you doing his dirty work for him?"  
  
He gave her a confused look. "The Source? Don't you know?"  
  
"Know what? I remember he was always." A flash of realisation shot across her face. Inside her head, alarm bells rang out as a memory surfaced from her time watching over her sisters.  
  
She paused, then ran over to the slab where her coffin still rested. "There's someone I need to talk to", she muttered as she sat down on the cold stone.  
  
"Not again. Where are you going this time?"  
  
"Relax. I'll be back soon." She closed her eyes and before he could say anything else, she had fallen back onto the slab, lifeless, her mind travelling somewhere else once again.  
  
***  
  
The sun was finally dragging itself out of bed to cover the Halliwell manor in a golden blanket. Birds sang as Phoebe flipped through the Book of Shadows with a sense of urgency, Paige watching intently from behind. Footsteps on the stairs turned into Piper, carrying a tray of coffee.  
  
"Find anything?" she asked, setting the tray down on a dresser. She turned to see Phoebe throw her arms to the sky in frustration. "Apparently not."  
  
"This is ridiculous. There is nothing in here about demons influencing dreams."  
  
"Are we absolutely sure it was a dream," Paige chimed in, "because it seemed pretty real to me."  
  
"Paige, we've been through this. I know it seemed real but it can't have been. It was just too weird."  
  
"It was real enough to freak you out," Phoebe said to Piper, concern spreading over her face. "Are you OK now?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."  
  
"Where's Leo, anyway?" Paige asked.  
  
"He got called up there." She handed a cup to her. "Sounded pretty urgent." As if on cue, Leo appeared next to Phoebe in a swirl of blue lights. "Wow, that was quick. What did they want?"  
  
Leo took a deep breath. "There's.er.a problem in the spirit world."  
  
"What sort of problem?"  
  
Well, to be honest.Prue has, kind of.gone missing."  
  
Silence spread across the room like mist as the words sunk in. Phoebe was the first to speak. "Leo, how is it possible for a spirit to go missing?" She quickly began scouring the book again.  
  
"I don't know. The only way the elders wouldn't immediately know is if she was forcibly removed."  
  
"Who would have the power to do that?" she asked, turning the page again. Suddenly, her head was thrown back as a premonition hit her.  
  
A man.demon.breaking a seal.opening a cave.mountains.heading inside.moving around.finding something.book.black.lifting it over his head in triumph.  
  
.you OK? What did you see?"  
  
Pipers voice broke through. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the images and come back down to earth.  
  
"I saw a demon.breaking into a cave.stealing a book." She paused to catch her breath. "I think it was the Grimoire.and I'm pretty sure it was the past." She looked down at the page her hand had stopped on when the vision had hit. "That's him," she cried, pointing, "That's the demon who stole the book."  
  
Piper rushed over to take a look and the picture caught her eye. She thought back to the day before. "That's the guy who came to the door yesterday. Hey, he was a demon! Don't they normally attack instead of asking for directions?"  
  
"Maybe it wasn't you he was after," Paige said. "It says here that he's a wise, upper-level demon with telepathic abilities. He could've read your mind to find out where the Grimoire was hidden. Sorry honey, but he was only after your mind."  
  
"I feel so used," Piper replied sarcastically. "But why would he want it? He'd better not be planning to coronate a new source in anytime soon." She looked over at Phoebe, who was wearing a strange expression. "Pheebs, what is it?"  
  
"Remember the wizard who tried to resurrect his people? And then, when I went to the wasteland, Cole told me that I could use the spell in there to bring him back. Maybe this guy wanted the book for the same thing, only he used it to resurrect."  
  
"Prue," Piper finished, quietly. Phoebe nodded. There was a pause as the implications set in.  
  
Paige broke the silence. "So, where do we go from here?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Phoebe interrupted. "It's obvious. We need to save her."  
  
"But she's evil.isn't she?"  
  
"No, she's just under this demons influence," Phoebe said as she flipped through the book.  
  
"There must be something in the book about how to bring her back," Piper told her, watching over her shoulder.  
  
Paige took a deep breath. She wasn't certain how this was going to turn out. "Are you sure?" she asked. She hurried on as Piper began staring intently at her. "I don't wanna sound like the evil witch here, but.I mean.she seemed pretty evil last night." she trailed off under the intense stares from her sisters.  
  
Leo leapt to her rescue. "I think what Paige is trying to ask, as nicely as she can, is what are you gonna do if you can't find a way to get the evil out of her?"  
  
There was a pause before Piper answered. "Leo, I hope your not suggesting what I think you are.because if you are, then how could you?"  
  
"Piper, you know I love Prue too, and she was such a massive part of your lives..."  
  
"She's our sister," Phoebe shouted, "And one of the charmed ones."  
  
"No, Phoebe, she WAS your sister, but she died. I know it wasn't fair, but there's nothing you can do about it. Her place is up there now, not down here."  
  
Piper looked up with tears in her eyes. "We can't just abandon her. We love her so much."  
  
"Even more than me," Paige said softly. Piper and Phoebe both looked at her, surprised. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."  
  
"Paige," Phoebe started, "How can you think that?"  
  
Paige took a deep breath, then made up her mind. She couldn't keep it locked up anymore. "Because it's true. You don't realise it, but it's true. I can tell." She paused for a second, before turning and quickly heading out of the attic door.  
  
"Are you OK?" Leo asked the girls after a few moments of silence.  
  
"She's right," Phoebe said, "And I never realised until now, but." She headed over to the table and sat down on an old wooden chair. "It's just so hard. We've only known her for a short time, and Prue.it seemed like forever."  
  
"I didn't think I'd ever get over her being gone," Piper said as she rested her arms on the book. "Now she's back.How are we supposed to react? We can't let her go again. Not when there's a chance." She trailed off, both her and Phoebe reflecting on the past, staring at Leo for an answer.  
  
***  
  
Magical storms thundered in the dark red sky and screams echoed through the cavernous, rocky valleys of the wasteland. Cole relaxed for the moment, preparing to escape if he was attacked again. Even though the creature was dead, he still felt uneasy here, expecting the world to throw some other nasty surprise at him when he was least expecting it.  
  
He dashed around a large boulder as another scream reached his ears. He couldn't keep this up forever. For now he just had to keep running, but one day he would have to stop.  
  
A strange rustling sound brought him back to his senses, coming from the other side of the boulder. He slowly peered around at the figure who had just appeared out of nowhere, and raised his eyebrows, puzzled.  
  
"Prue" he whispered.  
  
"Hey Cole," she replied, straightening up, "Good to see you again."  
  
He slowly circled the rock until he was facing her, never taking his eyes off her. He was slightly surprised, but he had seen a lot of strange things in his life as a demon.  
  
He smiled at her. "You're looking good for someone who died."  
  
"Ditto."  
  
"How did you end up here?"  
  
She perched herself on the edge of a small rock. "Couple of demons brought me back, but that's not important. I'm back, and I'm guessing that you and I both want the same thing."  
  
He gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? What could we have to talk about? It's no secret that you never really trusted me."  
  
"Oh, come on Cole, that's all ancient history. Everything you did after I died proved, to me at least, that you were good after all. It's a pity the others didn't see it that way. Now, I think we both want revenge."  
  
"Prue, that's not why I'm here."  
  
"They killed us both!" she screamed at him. "They watched while Shax killed me, their loving sister, and how did they thank you for everything you did? How many times did you save their lives? Then you got taken over by the source, and instead of trying to save you by getting you out of his control, they vanquish you! What does that tell you about Phoebe's 'love'?" She paused to take a breath, then slowly walked towards him, stopping just in front. "And now she doesn't want anything else to do with you. You're angry, holding on for revenge. Join me, and we'll get even with them together."  
  
He leant towards her slightly, growling as he spoke. "I'm only holding on here out of love for Phoebe. Say what you like, but I know that her love for me is real, just as much as mine is for her. She's been through a lot too, and she did what she had to so that the source would be gone once and for all." He was consumed with anger at Prue's words. He could see that she was under the influence of a powerful evil, and nothing he could say would help her. "I don't want anything to do with this.  
  
He turned and began to walk away, hesitated, and turned back to her. "One day, Phoebe and I will be together again."  
  
Prue stared at him for while, like she was trying to read his mind.  
  
"You're a fool," she finally replied, before vanishing in a beam of red light, leaving Cole alone once more.  
  
***  
  
Paige kept a relative distance from her sisters for the rest of the morning, unsure of how they were reacting to her outburst. It wasn't easy, but it had to be said. They all knew it was true, and to a certain extent it should be true. She was the forgotten sister, always in the shadow of the great Prue Halliwell. How could she ever compete and be loved in the same way that Prue had, when they found her under such sad circumstances?  
  
She found herself in the kitchen, stacking the dirty dishes without even realising, thinking of seeing Prue in the flesh for the first time. She was definitely an imposing figure, confident, everything people had said she was. Maybe if she could be more like her, but would that be the right thing to do?  
  
She suddenly felt ill, like something was pulling on her stomach. She called out to her sisters and slowly made her way towards the door.  
  
***  
  
Phoebe heard Paige calling out for her, then the sound of something smashing in the kitchen. She ran from the living room, expecting to be faced with a demon, but instead coming up against.nothing. The room was empty - No demon, but no Paige either. A plate lay in fragments by the door, as if someone had dropped it.  
  
"Piper, get down her," she hurriedly shouted upstairs. Piper quickly dashed down the stairs, arriving by her side.  
  
"What is it? What's the matter?"  
  
"It's Paige. She called to me and then, when I got here, she was gone."  
  
"Well, don't worry," Piper said smoothly, holding on to Phoebe's shoulders. "She's probably fine. Maybe she just orbed out?"  
  
"Why would she do that without telling us first?" She caught her breath, glancing around the room as if expecting to see her at any moment. "Call Leo, maybe he can sense her."  
  
A second after Piper's call, Leo appeared. "What is it?" he asked. "We're still trying to work out where Prue is."  
  
Phoebe interrupted. "Can you sense for Paige? She just disappeared."  
  
He nodded, closing his eyes and putting on a look of intense concentration. After a minute he opened them again, looking more worried than he had before.  
  
"I can't sense her anywhere," he said shakily.  
  
Piper raised a hand to her mouth. Phoebe looked at him disbelievingly. "What do you mean? She must be somewhere."  
  
"I can't get a read. Something's blocking her from my radar."  
  
"Something evil?" Piper asked. Leo nodded.  
  
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other. "Book of Shadows, now." Piper ordered, "We have to get to her before she gets hurt." She turned and jogged back up the stairs.  
  
"I hope she's not in too much trouble," Phoebe called as she ran up behind her.  
  
***  
  
In fact, Paige was in a great deal of trouble. She never enjoyed boxing, and the scene in front of her was something out of a nightmare.  
  
Something had forcibly brought her into a large arena, big enough to seat thousands of people in tiered stands. The stands were crammed with demons and warlocks of all descriptions. Some looked human, others were mutilated beyond belief. They were al shouting and cheering, eager for something to happen. The stands lead down to a ring in the centre, and it was in the middle of this ring that she had appeared.  
  
She tried to figure out what to do next. Running would be pointless, as there didn't seem to be anyway out of the arena. She tried to sense the manor so she could orb back, but there was nothing.  
  
"Not thinking of leaving so soon, are you?"  
  
She spun in the direction of the voice, but already knew who it was. Prue was behind her, examining her closely. "I wouldn't bother trying to escape. Good magic is neutralised in the ring. Got the idea from a demon academy we crashed once." She grinned. "I, of course, have no problem using my powers, being evil and all. I won't use them yet, though. Only fair I give you a sporting chance."  
  
All Paige wanted to do was get out, but she knew there was no way. She was finally meeting Prue face-to-face, and she had her right where she wanted her. It wasn't the ideal first meeting. "Why the set-up?"  
  
"Because these demons have had to put up with a lot over the last four years. It's time to give them a show to remember. Old against new, charmed versus charmed. Let's see how good you really are."  
  
Paige backed into a corner and Prue shifted into position, diagonally facing her, a look of grim determination across her face.  
  
"We fight to the death," Prue snarled, before bracing herself against the ropes guarding the edge of the ring, preparing to strike.  
  
***  
  
TBC 


End file.
